The squid are back in Monterey Bay!

I am posting this article in Fish Talk even though I'm talking about mollusks. Is that OK? Hahaha!

I've been hearing rumors of squid off Lovers Pt, beyond the mile bouy. But I had only seen a few squid boats out at night---unmistakable green lights offshore. Well, last night I saw plenty boats out there. And then I saw this article in the Herald...rather timely. Apparently the squid are back. I hope the seabass are back too!


Here's the link.
http://www.montereyherald.com/local/ci_11983253

And here's the article copy+pasted.
Squid boats light up Monterey Bay
Fishermen find mollusks in nets for first time in years
By KEVIN HOWE
Herald Staff Writer
Updated: 03/24/2009 08:32:03 AM PDT

The squid lights have been switched back on at Monterey Bay as fishermen have encountered schools of calamari rising to the surface for the first time in recent years.
Central Coast fishermen were initially going out for anchovies, but found squid in their nets this spring, said Geoff Shester, senior science manager for Monterey Bay Aquarium's Sustainable Seafood Initiative.
"This is a significant event," he said. "There hasn't been any squid fishing in Monterey for the past three or four years."
There is some debate over the absence of squid, Shester said, whether it is related to climate change, ocean conditions or overfishing.
The state Department of Fish and Game has set a total take limit for the year of 118,000 tons for the entire California coast, down from the previous limit of 125,000 tons.
While some marine biologists consider that limit too high, neither limit has been reached in years, Shester said.
The squid began hitting March 15, when three boats landed 100 tons of squid, he said, and boats began going out again with squid lamps lighted to draw the tentacled mollusks to the surface.
There are a lot of boats on the water, but not all of them are fishing, Shester said. The large purse seiners are the ones pulling up the squid. Smaller light boats, operated under state permits, sail with them to attract the squid.
Commercial squid fishermen use the bright lights on the boats to lure their prey up from the depths, like moths attracted to a flame.
Fishermen use various types of seines to catch the squid, bringing the nets to the surface, then lowering a vacuum pump into the net to pump the squid into the hold while culling and releasing other fish caught up in the net.
Three purse seiners operating on Monterey Bay have been joined by others from Southern California, Oregon and Washington. The catches are landed at Moss Landing for processing.
Monterey Bay's squid fishery "is highly episodic," said Monterey Harbormaster Steve Scheiblauer. "It's here for a few years, gone for a few years. It's hard to predict.
"The fishermen tell me all the signs are very good for a very healthy fishery. They're a fair size, coming early, indications of a good and prolonged season."
Fish and Game requires that fishing cease from noon Friday through noon Sunday, he said, "to give them a weekend," but allows fishing 24 hours a day otherwise.
In addition to the state limits, Scheiblauer said, local fishermen have voluntarily agreed to hold off starting until midnight Sunday and to limit fishing to 12 hours at night weekdays.
The "historic" fishing grounds in Monterey Bay lie between Marina and Lovers Point. Out-of-area boats, Scheiblauer said, appear to be respecting the local voluntary limits.
Kevin Howe may be reached at 646-4416 or khowe@montereyherald.com.


 

Nice to see some life in the bay (at least life that leads to fishing).

Hmmm ... what follows squid around?

-Allen

Polepole

You know what follows the calamari......

I'm all over it this weekend. Jig up some live squid and go for the sea bass!

The guy at royal said they pulled some 50 on bass folowing them the other day.
I'm up for a trip Saturday and or Sunday. He'll I've got Friday off too.

Weather permitting, we plan on giving it a try.

Stoggie

DID SOMEONE SAY WSB? I'm up for it. Haven't caught one in 8 months. Stoggie & Sin Coast take me on a tour of Monterey so we can hunt.

Is there a special rig for seabass?

I'm all over that, once someone shows me how to fish for WSB! 

Is there a special rig for seabass?

yes. looks a little like this one in Pat's hand from the del valle post:


ghosts are skittish creatures.  fluoro leaders long casts and properly presented baits might get them.

I'm no expert, but I play one on TV!

A buddy of mine who is very experienced told me it is similar to a halibut hookup without the tripple swivel.

Just a sliding hook set up above a trebble like a butt rig with a live squid that you jigged up earlier.
Use as little amount of weight to get the setup down about 50 to 60 feet deep set the clicker and paddle around.

Sounds simple to me.

Either way i'm gonna give it a try, probably go to MBK paddle out and fish, fish, fish.

The guy at Royal said they say bass from 30 to 50 lbs. chasing the calamari!
They are known to follow them all the way up the coast from monterey to sc and beyond.

this week monterey, next week moss landing the next in sc etc.

Am I out of my tree or am I being given incorrect info?

any experts out there?

Stoggie

I think it might be time to sharpen my spear....

-Brian  G

I've been monitoring the marine forecast and it has gotten progressively worse the last 3 days.
SAT
 N WINDS 5 KT...BECOMING W. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT.
 NW SWELL 5 TO 10 FT.

 SUN
 W WINDS 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 2 FT.
 NW SWELL 5 TO 10 FT.

If it comes down to 4-6ft NW then I'll consider a trip. Otherwise, its best to wait for better conditions.

adding to the Monterey Bay report, yesterday went for a walk near the cement ship and folks were jigging up small sardines or herring, not sure which.  Looks like bait is moving in boys!

We were out front of Santa Cruz today and there was a big spot of  bait with a ton of birds working them over.   Hmmm ....

-Allen

I was out last weekend and caught sand dabs, mackerel, sardines, a couple squid, and about a dozen small rockfish on sabiki jigs(blues, starries, and blacks all released,of course).At times, there was some major action going on the finder screen underneath me. I hooked up a live mackerel and reeled it in a little later to find a snagged squid in its place. I ended up keeping my squid and fried up some calamari.